Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
By Sam Neumann on

Update: Dave Portnoy took to X to push back on claims that Ohio State didn’t ban him. While it’s clear he won’t be in Ohio Stadium for Week 1, the status of future weeks — and whether Ross Dellenger’s report is accurate or just spin from the conference and network — remains uncertain.

The original story continues below.

Apparently, Dave Portnoy won’t be in a single Big Ten stadium – at least for Fox – this season.

Front Office Sports reported Monday night that Ohio State had effectively barred Portnoy, a high-rolling Michigan donor, from entering the stadium ahead of the noon kickoff.

Buckeyes’ Athletic Director Ross Bjork then pushed back, insisting Ohio State didn’t make the call. He said the university didn’t ban Portnoy from the final hour of Big Noon Kickoff, which is usually broadcast from inside the stadium. Instead, Bjork said, it was a Fox decision because Portnoy won’t be a permanent part of the main desk.

That lines up with the idea that Portnoy won’t have a traditional desk role all season. He’s set to debut on Big Noon Kickoff this Saturday, with a Barstool show on FS1 soon after. But the specifics of his role remain unclear. We know why Fox brought him on board, but not exactly what he’ll do.

According to a Big Ten spokesperson, the league understands — via Fox — that Portnoy won’t appear on Big Noon Kickoff’s main stage inside any Big Ten stadium in 2025.

So, there we have it. The confusion could’ve been avoided if Fox had clearly outlined Portnoy’s role from the start. Chris “The Bear” Fallica has previously tried to clarify that Portnoy isn’t Fox’s version of Pat McAfee.

“I think there’s a little bit of a misconception out there,” Fallica told Nick Kostos on You Better You Bet on Audacy’s BetMGM Network. “A lot of people think it’s gonna be like Pat McAfee on GameDay, where Dave’s on set every segment. It’s not. He’ll be on for some segments, sure, but it’s not like you’re adding a fifth analyst at all times.”

So, for all the hype and speculation, Dave Portnoy will be part of Big Noon Kickoff — but not from inside any Big Ten stadium this season. Whether that remains the case if the pregame show travels to any Big 12 or other stadiums later on this year remains to be seen.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann